The Government has until the end of February to respond to a health select committee recommendation that the display on these deadly products be banned at retail outlets such as dairies, convenience stores, supermarkets and service stations.

Smokefree Coalition Director Mark Peckhe: A survey of nearly 30,000 14 and 15-year-olds showed a significant association between tobacco displays and smoking susceptibility. "For the sake of our children's future health, we (Smoke Free Coalition) urge the Government to make the right decision and ban tobacco displays."

Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) NZ and other lobbyists have been pushing for tobacco displays to go, but a retail coalition has argued it would be expensive and ineffective.

High profile sports team doctor John Mayhew last week said the displays were essentially mini-billboards. "We can't afford to continue to send mixed messages to young people. There are plenty of anti-smoking messages around, yet to see tobacco sitting alongside bread and milk in shops like it is a normal everyday product contradicts those messages," Dr Mayhew said.

But Mr Key said evidence suggested such moves were not an effective way to tackle smoking as a health issue and he wouldn't support it. Mr Key said heavy tax and advertising restrictions were in place and the government sponsored plenty of quit smoking programs, but the costs to the likes of dairies of changing displays couldn't be justified.